cutter from 14 yr old righty
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My 14u dd has a cutter we use pretty regularly... we picked it up from a Hillhouse dvd. Throw a two finger drop ball on four seams. Take either the index or middle finger and dig the tip or finger nail into the ball. Which ever finger is digging into the ball, it will easily cut to that direction. Its probably her most effective pitch. If I call a cutter inside (righty) she digs the index finger or a cutter outside she digs the middle... this pitch is thrown to the black of the plate on the knees... it looks good to a batter then it falls off the table and is moving either in or out. This pitch is awesome. Only takes about a month of practice to get proficient, assuming she can already throw a standard dropball. The biggest obstacle for my dd was switching to a two finger grip instead of three because of her smaller hands.
I am not an expert on the subject, but it is my understanding that a 'cutter' in baseball is thrown like a fastball after adjusting the pressure point on the finger tips. My DD can slightly adjust the movement of her fastball by putting pressure on different fingers, but we do not call it a 'cutter' we say she is 'putting a tail' on her fastball, and it typically 'tails' into a right handed batter like a screwball. She can also throw a two seam vs. four seam fastball that will move in slightly different directions.
Because the pitching distance in softball is closer than baseball (43' vs. 60'), there will not be as much movement on a softball by adjusting the finger tip pressure. A baseball can break the width of the plate by adjusting the fingertip pressure, while a softball may break 4-5". That is why most softball pitchers and coaches prefer to throw movement pitches past 14U unless the pitcher's fastball is 5+ MPH faster than the batters are used to seeing.
Because the pitching distance in softball is closer than baseball (43' vs. 60'), there will not be as much movement on a softball by adjusting the finger tip pressure. A baseball can break the width of the plate by adjusting the fingertip pressure, while a softball may break 4-5". That is why most softball pitchers and coaches prefer to throw movement pitches past 14U unless the pitcher's fastball is 5+ MPH faster than the batters are used to seeing.
There are several things we can do to get the ball to "cut". One is finger pressure, other is seam axis, or a combo of each.
We try to always start in BB only adjusting the seam axis, because you'll get some movement without changing anything at the end like a slot, wrist, finger pressure. The air flow over the "changed" seams will move it naturally. Then we might work finger pressure especially if it's a two seam cutter. The combo comes in while working the pitch to see how it's reacting/moving.
So how do you grip? Well the cutter can be thrown a few different ways as far a seams/axis/split. You can grip like a 4 seam FB and "slightly" slide your fingers off angle of the four seams. Or you can use a 2 seam grip with the pointer just off the ( pitching arm ) side seam and the middle finger "on" the seam. The split is going to be harder with a softball unless you have man size hands so we can probably throw that in the file cabinet for most girls.
Let's make one thing clear, the "cutter" is a contact pitch by definition. Your wanting to run that pitch in on the hands/handle of the batter or away off the cap of the bat. ( I think the hitting tech guys call it a mis-hit ) Its a good pitch when youre trying to force the batter to put the ball in play right/left field for a double play. But yes, you'll get some K's along the road too.
My advice is you need to experiment with grips and see which one gives you the most cut. There is no "all works" grip for the cutter in BB, so I doubt you'll find "all works" in FP.
We try to always start in BB only adjusting the seam axis, because you'll get some movement without changing anything at the end like a slot, wrist, finger pressure. The air flow over the "changed" seams will move it naturally. Then we might work finger pressure especially if it's a two seam cutter. The combo comes in while working the pitch to see how it's reacting/moving.
So how do you grip? Well the cutter can be thrown a few different ways as far a seams/axis/split. You can grip like a 4 seam FB and "slightly" slide your fingers off angle of the four seams. Or you can use a 2 seam grip with the pointer just off the ( pitching arm ) side seam and the middle finger "on" the seam. The split is going to be harder with a softball unless you have man size hands so we can probably throw that in the file cabinet for most girls.
Let's make one thing clear, the "cutter" is a contact pitch by definition. Your wanting to run that pitch in on the hands/handle of the batter or away off the cap of the bat. ( I think the hitting tech guys call it a mis-hit ) Its a good pitch when youre trying to force the batter to put the ball in play right/left field for a double play. But yes, you'll get some K's along the road too.
My advice is you need to experiment with grips and see which one gives you the most cut. There is no "all works" grip for the cutter in BB, so I doubt you'll find "all works" in FP.
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Yes a cutter in bb is a finger pressured fb, but in fastpitch its a peel drop with finger pressure. We prefer using a four seam over a two, because it breaks downward harder for my dd. This pitch with a high fb or rise ball is a deadly combo and mix in a cutting change up... shes gonna be golden!
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- Apr 25, 2010
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My 13yo throws the cutter. I would have to say, based on our experience, it is a highly effective pitch when used properly. She goes to Hillhouse for lessons, so that's where that came from. She can also use the same principle for the rise ball.
Lenski, the way Bill teaches it is off the peel drop. However, Bill doesn't teach the standard "rip the seams" peel drop either. But I would imagine it would work for that as well.
Lenski, the way Bill teaches it is off the peel drop. However, Bill doesn't teach the standard "rip the seams" peel drop either. But I would imagine it would work for that as well.
My College Freshman DD throws cutter in and out, rise and change. Unless you can pick up the spin you have no idea what is coming your way. Very easy and effective pitch to throw.
- May 17, 2012
- 2,815
- 113
My DD throws her cutter with a by throwing a curve, palm down on the ball (instead of a palm up curve ball).
A cutter by definition is a late breaking curve. It looks like a fastball for most of the pitch and then breaks at the end (even though it's always breaking, don't get me started).
A cutter by definition is a late breaking curve. It looks like a fastball for most of the pitch and then breaks at the end (even though it's always breaking, don't get me started).
